The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported 232 confirmed deaths and 896 confirmed cases in the Ebola outbreak declared on May 15, with a case fatality rate of 26% and the epidemic now affecting 33 health zones across Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, according to Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba in a press conference late Thursday.

Kamba reported 21 new infections and six deaths in the last 24 hours, with 11 patients recovering. Treatment centers currently house 383 patients in isolation and have discharged 78 patients in total. The minister also stated that the contact tracing rate stands at 71%, with a target of 95%.

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The outbreak has spread to neighboring Uganda, where 19 infections have been detected, including 14 imported from the DRC with two deaths. The Bundibugyo strain has a 30-50% fatality rate and has no authorized vaccine or specific treatment, according to the WHO, which considers the risk “high” in sub-Saharan Africa and “low” globally.

The WHO believes the virus began circulating in Ituri two months before the outbreak was declared and classified it as a public health emergency on May 17. The virus causes severe hemorrhagic fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and internal bleeding.

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